The convergence of the economies of enterprises in Russia and Belarus is a fundamental task for the leadership of the Vitebsk region in the near future.
This was announced by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Subbotin, at an expanded meeting of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, which took place in Pskov on September 4.
The head of the Vitebsk region noted that issues of regional cooperation are particularly relevant for the border areas of Belarus and Russia, whose residents are the first to assess the effectiveness of interaction in the fields of economy, culture, education, and healthcare. "We have much in common in history, traditions, and way of life, so it is important to preserve and develop cooperation, taking into account the new challenges and conditions in which our border regions live and work," emphasized Alexander Subbotin.
He stated that according to the results of the first half of the year, the trade turnover of the Vitebsk region with the regions of Russia amounted to over Br6 billion. "When it comes to trade indicators, it is necessary to understand that the possibility of their increase is based on the production potential of our parties under the conditions created for doing business in both Belarus and Russia. As for the Vitebsk region, today we can confidently offer our Russian partners our expertise in the production of power and optical cable, water treatment equipment, excavators, telescopic lifts, metal-cutting machine tools, and hydraulic presses. All the listed types of products are manufactured at the production sites of the Moscow, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Kaluga, and other regions of the Russian Federation with a localization level of 70% or more, in order to then receive the status of a finished product that can then move freely between our states," reported Alexander Subbotin.
The head of the northern region of Belarus stated that the Vitebsk region has formed a center for the production of a wide range of polymer materials, glass fabrics, and acrylic fiber, which are intended to become growth points in the production of hundreds of types of petrochemical products, building materials, composite products, and new types of textile products. And this will be beneficial for the economies of many regions of Belarus and Russia.
"Vitebsk enterprises require protein, chemical, and textile raw materials, rolled metal, polymers, and modern equipment. They are interested not only in acquiring these but also in creating a joint product that should have the status of a domestic good for the economies of our states. The issue of bringing the economies of our enterprises closer together is a fundamental task for the near future," emphasized Alexander Subbotin.
The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee stressed that there are many areas for cooperation, and it is now necessary to work on their implementation. As an example, he cited cable product manufacturers. In Belarus, it is produced at 17 enterprises, the largest of which is the Energokomplekt plant located in Vitebsk. "A powerful cable cluster is being formed in Pskov. At the same time, despite the presence of cable sheathing manufacturers in Tatarstan, we often make all our purchases from Turkey or China. It is not about closing ourselves off from the outside world, but about maximizing our own competencies without building barriers for joint production – this is an objective necessity," noted Alexander Subbotin.
He also touched upon issues of cooperation in the field of science. Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov and Vitebsk State Medical University, together with Pskov State University, have proposed a model for a network center for biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. The number of participants in such an association can be expanded, as the training of a new format specialist based on a single university, according to the head of the region, is impossible. It is also important to create joint teams of scientists capable of undertaking any applied tasks and scientific research.
Aleksandr Subbotin noted that the example of interaction between the Vitebsk and Pskov regions should be used to strengthen interregional integration. "The development of mechanisms for sustainable socio-economic interaction of border regions is in demand at the level of individual village councils, schools, cultural institutions, and local public associations. It is at this level that the foundations for understanding integration processes are laid, and the most promising areas of cooperation are formed, where adjacent territories do not compete, but learn to mutually complement each other. We are focusing on specific bilateral agreements with the regions of Russia. That is why we have proposed a project for the interaction of agricultural and technical colleges of the Pskov and Vitebsk regions to improve the quality of educational programs and vocational training, acquire practical skills in operating modern equipment and machinery produced in our countries. This will also provide an opportunity to obtain several agricultural specialties," said Aleksandr Subbotin.
He added that if the pilot project is successfully implemented, similar interaction can be established in other areas between secondary vocational education institutions, laboratories, design bureaus, technoparks, and business incubators. Interested enterprises and organizations from other regions of Belarus and Russia can also be involved. In the future, such a model of interaction will help to develop unified mechanisms for creating import-substituting industries with high competitiveness.
Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by
